Stone Pony concert to raise epilepsy awareness

ASBURY
PARK— The Stone
Pony will host the "Paint the Pony Purple" concert to benefit the
Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey (EFNJ) on Sunday, March 18th. This all-ages
event, in celebration of Purple Day,
will raise necessary funds to continue running educational programs that spread
knowledge and awareness of epilepsy and improve the quality of life of those
living with the condition in New Jersey.

The concert lineup includes local
cover bands enjoy!, One Eyed Jack, and Short Term Memory, as well as The
RockNRoll Chorus and Patrick Stoner. The event will run from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00
p.m. Tickets may be purchased for $20 through the Epilepsy Foundation of New
Jersey's Manasquan office or via telephone at (732) 528-4382. Additional
information and timely updates may be found on the Facebook event page for
"Paint the Pony Purple for Epilepsy" or at www.efnj.com.

Kelly Pretz of Manasquan, who was
recently recognized in the area for publishing a novel depicting her struggle
with epilepsy titled Rain at Midnight,
expressed her excitement for the event. "It's going to be such a fun and
inspiring event for everyone who attends, whether or not they know someone with
epilepsy. My friends and family will be there to support me and enjoy the live
music!"

Purple Day is a global effort
dedicated to promoting epilepsy awareness in countries around the world. Motivated
by her own struggles with epilepsy, Cassidy Megan created the idea of Purple
Day in 2008. Cassidy's goal is to get people talking about epilepsy in an
effort to dispel myths and inform those with seizures that they are not alone.

All funds raised at this event will
help expand and maintain EFNJ's fifth grade education program titled "Thinking
About Epilepsy". Because of outdated stigma and lack of understanding, children
with epilepsy often face ostracism and bullying from their peers which may
produce lasting effects of low self-esteem and depression. EFNJ hopes to stop
the continuation of the outdated stigma by teaching students the necessary
facts about epilepsy before leaving elementary school. Almost 25% of all
epilepsy diagnoses each year in the United States involve children under the
age of 15. EFNJ trained over 9,000 fifth grade students during the 2010-2011
school year.

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The
Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey (EFNJ), an affiliate of the National Epilepsy Foundation
and The Family Resource Network, provides programs for families living with
epilepsy, such as a residential summer camp, support groups, scholarships,
referral programs and respite care. EFNJ also institutes free educational
presentations about seizure first aid and police training. Schools interested
in participating in the "Thinking About Epilepsy" program may contact
Jenna Andolora at 800-336-5843 or via email at efnj@efnj.com. To learn more,
please visit www.efnj.com.